BlackBerry services to be blocked in Dubai

What good is a BlackBerry if its BlackBerry Internet Services will be crippled? That would be the case for BlackBerry users in Dubai, United Arab Emirates where a lot of Filipinos rely on the BlackBerry to bypass international rates to connect with loved ones around the globe via BBM.

UAE government has made the decision yesterday to block key features on BlackBerry smartphones citing security concerns. The government fears that the BlackBerry server which cannot be monitored by local authorities can be exploited by terrorists and criminals.

If this policy will push through, thousands of users in UAE will not be able to access e-mail and the Web on their devices starting October 11. With this move, Saudi Arabia might follow suit. A Saudi telecom official said they would begin blocking BlackBerry messaging service starting later this month.